by PRP Group, on 11/15/2024
In the relatively recent past, people could make a living by performing mathematical procedures in their heads quickly and accurately. Math was taught to prepare them for this profession, emphasizing these procedures. With today’s technology, mental arithmetic is no longer a relevant professional skill. Today’s employers are hiring for skills such as creativity, collaboration and critical thinking, all of which students can learn in math classes emphasizing deeper learning.
In neuroscientific terms, deeper learning is intentional schema-building. A schema is a cognitive framework that helps us organize and interpret information. Students’ brains build new schemas when they make rich connections between ideas in their heads. The schema they build then helps them solve problems they haven’t seen before, which, to me, is the whole point of math. This sort of deeper learning is not only a powerful way to teach math; it’s an effective method of inspiring lifelong learners capable of making meaningful contributions to society.
